1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gob distributing apparatus of a bottle forming machine particularly provided with an improved mechanism for operating scoops of the gob distributing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a prior art, there is known a gob distributor of a bottle forming machine in which a plurality of molds are arranged in a plurality of rows with equal spaces with each other, stationary (fixed) chutes are disposed to inlet entrance portions of the respective molds, and a plurality of scoops are swung together with a plurality of rotation shafts of the numbers corresponding to those of the mold rows to thereby distribute the gobs to the respective chutes.
In the gob distributor of this kind, the respective rotation shafts are operatively connected to one synchronous motor by way of speed reduction mechanisms, speed increasing mechanism and complicated mechanical mechanisms including, for example, a worm gear, a wheel gear, a mechanical cam, a cam roller, a sector gear, a pinion gear, etc., and when this synchronous motor is driven, the respective scoops are operated in accordance with the predetermined order, thereby distributing the gobs to the molds of the bottle forming machine.
However, according to the structure of the gob distributor of the bottle forming machine of the type described above, the driving force of the motor is transferred through the mechanical mechanisms including respective gears, so that the power transferring efficiency is low and mechanical failures due to frictional forces being imposed on the gears often occur.
Furthermore, the assembling of these complicated mechanical mechanisms requires specific techniques and experts, and in order to maintain the good assembling performance, it is necessary to often carry out maintenance workings, thus being troublesome and inconvenient.
In this connection, as described above, in the conventional mechanical mechanism, a hole, in which respective gears or other mechanical members are accommodated, is required in the divided casing for the worm gear shaft, the cam shaft, the sector gear shaft, the output shaft or the like. Hence, the members of the casing must be assembled carefully to assure that the devices are centered in the hole.
Still furthermore, in the described prior art, since the rotation shafts are rotated by the mechanical mechanisms, errors in the swinging motions of the rotation shafts are amplified by, for example, backlashes of the respective gears when the scoops secured to the rotation shafts are swung. Accordingly, it becomes difficult to precisely index the stationary positions of the respective scoops.
In a case where the stationary positions of the scoops are not precisely settled, the front end of each of the scoops is shifted or offset from an extension line from the location of the corresponding stationary chute disposed at the entrance of the mold, which will result in so-called a snake-shaped distribution for the gob, and hence, when the gob is distributed from the scoop to the stationary chute, the gob is conveyed in a meandering motion. The meandering motion of the gob will cause the shifting of a fall-down position of the gob in the mold, which results in the production of a glass product such as glass bottle having uneven thickness. Moreover, since the gob falling time is made uneven, the production speed will be made slow and the productivity will be also made worse.